My Service in the Church
I have always been an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and thus have had several opportunities to serve and develop myself. Along with helping me draw closer to Christ, these callings have also helped me to develop my talents, my leadership skills, my social skills and have given a good work ethic. Through my service to Christ, I have become a better person spiritually, mentally, physically and socially. These callings include the following.


1992-1998 Youth Leadership Positions
During my youth I was always called to leadership positions in my respective age group: Deacon (12-13), Teacher (14-15) and Priest (16-17). I have had experience in all positions: president, assistant, counselor and secretary. In these roles I planned and carried out activities such as camping trips, mutuals, firesides and reported them to the bishop. These roles in my youth were the begining of my path to other leadership positions. Back


Home Teacher 1994-present
This is a calling that all men in the church have. I am assigned families to teach and visit every month. My companion and I set an appointment with our families and then go and leave a spiritual message with them. We are responsible for the well-being of the family. When they are sick, we go and visit them. Back


1996-1998 Program Coordinator
I was asked to put together the program for the sacrament meeting. This entailed calling to find out the speakers, musical numbers and announcements, printing, coping and folding the programs. This I did every week until I left for college. Back


Seminary Graduate 1994-1998
Every morning during high school I got up an hour early and went to Seminary. Here, I learned the basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I gained a testimony of the truthfullness of the gospel that helped me latter serve a full-time mission. The discipline that I learned getting up early, reading and memorizing scriptures has helped me in all aspects of my life. Back


1997-1998 Morningside Chairman
My last year in seminary I was asked to be the morningside chairman. Our seminary had around 500 students that met in different classes. I was in charge of organizing a morningside where all the students met together. This included getting a speaker, giving them materials and topics and assigning prayers, music and other things. I called on important speakers from out of town and help them to arrive. I learned how to work with and lead my counsel. Back


Music 1992-present
Hymns are a basic part of church worship, and this creates a constant need of people with musical talent. Since I was 12, I have been called upon to direct the music, play the piano and sing in the choir. At times I was able to prepare and practice the music for each Sunday, and other times I was called on at the last minute to play. This helped me to understand the importance of preparation and also flexibility. Back


1999 Family Home Evening Chair
In the church, every Monday night we meet together with our families for Family Home Evening. At BYU we are away from our familes and can't meet with them. Our wards split us up into groups to meet together on Monday nights and teach one another the gospel. I was in charge of this and was responsible for organizing lessons, activities and refreshment. The group had about 25 people, larger than normal. This taught me to lead a group and orgainize activities. Back


Missionary 1999-2001
The turning point of my life was when I accepted a call to serve a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when I was 19. After two months of training, I left for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ for two years in Portuguese. In my mission I learned how to truely serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength. I learned to love the people and love the Lord in a way I never had thought possible. I went from house to house preaching, teaching and exhorting. I had tromp through sewage water, withstand ridicule and rejection, walk through downpours, withstand blistering sun and defend my faith in front of the most intimidating of advesaries.

However, along with these hardships, I also met with a joy that I never thought possible. I helped people change their lives, to leave drugs, alcohol, smoking, riotous living and other damaging habits to repent and go to the Lord through baptism. I saw the joy in their lives and the gratitude they have to be able to know and understand the purpose of life. I am forever grateful to my Heavenly Father for the oportunity that He gave me to change my life and those around me. Back


2002 Ward Mission Leader
Shortly after coming home from my mission, I was called as the Ward Mission Leader. I headed the committee in charge of the missionary work in our ward. We took care of the recent converts, visited struggling members and worked with non-members. Every week we went to the referral center and answered calls from people requesting free items from the church. We also worked with those preparing to serve missions. We prepared a class every Sunday where we taught them how to be a missionary and shared experiences from our own missions. We also had firesides and other activities. Beyond this, I also helped those in the Missionary Training Center practice the teaching the discussions in Portuguese, Spanish and English outside of my calling. This was a very big undertaking and required a lot of time outside of class. Back


Young Men's President Winter 2003
While I was in Guatemala teaching at Fundet, I was called as the Young Men's President. I was in charge 22 Guatemalan young men. I planned activities, prepared lessons for Sunday and Mutual on Fridays. I helped them achieve goals and learn how to be good leaders. I visited them, talked with their parents, and helped inactives come to church. All this I did in Spanish. Back


2003 Elder's Quorum President
After getting back from Guatemala I was put in as the Elder's Quorum President. I was in charge of all the men in the ward (college aged). I was responsible for making sure every ward member was visited every month by assigning each pair of Elders as Home Teachers as well as other responsabilities. I made sure someone was in charge of the sacrament, activities and the lesson on Sunday. I was especially resonsible for the lesson on the first Sunday of the month. Back


Executive Secretary 2004
Six months after I got my calling as Elder's Quorum President, the ward boundaries were rearranged and I was put in another ward. I was immediately called as the Executive Secretary. I was a part of the bishopric and did the Bishop needed. I kept track of all the members and their callings in the ward, I organized interviews for the Bishop, and ran errands for the Bishop. Back


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